An unplanned playground visit for Mother’s Day
We seem to be getting to know parks near us really well. N loves them, and is putting his foot down about simply going to the park rather than to somewhere with more to see and do. For Mother’s Day, I’d suggested we go to Blenheim – no. Then somewhere in Stratford – no. But the park in Stratford upon Avon was requested instead.
With a promise of lunch out and an ice cream, N was in agreement that he would come with me to somewhere else after a playground visit.
I love visiting Stratford and in the sun it was really beautiful down by the river with the magnolia and blossom out. Even arriving just after 10, the playground wasn’t busy which was a surprise. Although as the ice cream/coffee van turned up, so did more people.
N was interested to point out that the paddling pool was undercover and being worked on, so hopefully the work will be finished ready for its usual reopening at the end of May.
There’d been some new equipment since the last time we came. The playground is great because there’s different areas for different ages, although N mostly sticks to just a few – the sandpit area, because he loves the diggers, and the pirate ship. On the diggers he was keen to see how far down he could dig, and he managed to get right to the bottom of the sand. He was so chuffed.
The older kids area is a little bit ‘old’ for him, but he gave it a go on some of the equipment.
One ice cream down, he decided it was time to have a go on the park gym equipment. I had to show him how everything worked, although he wasn’t tall enough for some of it. We both love the cross trainer, and his little legs were going wild against my longer strides opposite. He decided he wanted to stay on for 20 minutes to see if we could get my steps up on my fitbit. 6 minutes was long enough – I thought I was unfit, but he was puffing and panting, while I was feeling quite good. I guess he was ‘running’ to my walk. My knee and legs were aching a little the next day, so maybe we did more exercise than I thought!
With it nearly lunchtime I realised I didn’t have enough time left on the parking ticket to head into Stratford for lunch, so we headed off to Ann Hathaway’s cottage with the aim of having lunch and looking around there. Or maybe not because that was also pay and display parking and I’d used my change on an ice cream. Bad planning, especially as Stratford doesn’t seem to have Ringo / ring up payment for parking. So we headed back to another pay on foot car park and ate at Huffkins in town instead.
I broke my diet and had macaroni cheese with the most delicious garlic bread ever…on seeded rolls. N had a half jacket potato with beans and cheese which he then proclaimed was too small before leaving some of it because he was full! That’ll be the ice cream scoffed down an hour before.
It was lovely to be outside again, in a pretty (if busy) town, and enjoying N’s company. He said he enjoyed it too, and even stayed in for most of the afternoon once we were back home. Obviously he’d decided that Mother’s Day meant he should stay with me rather than going out on the farm.
What did you get up to for Mother’s Day?
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Hubby and I have just booked a weekend away to Stratford in May! I love how he wants to spend time in the park it’s something we could do with adopting! That park sounds and looks prett special though x #CountryKids
It’s a great place to visit. You’ll have a lovely time – there’s so much to see and do.
It looks like a lovely Mother’s Day trip, especially with the sun shining!
Sounds like a lovely way to spend Mothers’ Day. That tree with all the blossom by the river is beautiful. Well done to N for managing to dig all the way down to the sand. Not having ring up payment for parking is frustrating – I got so used to it when I worked in London and it was so much easier not having to always have lots of change for parking on me! That macaroni cheese and garlic bread looks very yummy 🙂 #countrykids
Stratford is a lovely place to visit whether you are a tourist or not. #CountryKids
I can understand why he wanted to go to the park. It looks great fun. Nice to get there before the hoards too. It was a beautiful day. We spent the day reclaiming the garden, so plenty of exercise too (and no chance of ice cream!) #CountryKids
What a lovely day. I Loved Stratford when we visited not long ago, It is so pretty. Ice cream always makes a day all the more wonderful 🙂
You need to park in the car park by the leisure centre, that’s huge and you can definitely ring to pay there as Iona and I do regularly when we meet up for lunch. Looks like N had lots of fun in the park and that lunch looks lush #CountryKids
Ah yes, I’ve parked there before. That’s good to know you can ring there (is it ringo? I’ve got the app for that and it’s so handy)
I can’t remember tbh, as mostly I’m organised and it’s Iona who hasn’t got the money!
Great photos – I love the first photo that tree is beautiful. I love the blue skies too – happy photos.
Popping over from #CountryKids 🙂
We didn’t do anything for Mother’s Day as we had just come back from holiday the day before so we had been really busy!
If I had done something with my son we would have done similar to you, I love park visits, it’s one of my favourite things to do, and Eric has just got to the age of really enjoying playgrounds. Plus they’re free! 🙂
#countrykids
What a fabulous park, I’d want to go there too as would my trio! I love the digging digger #countrykidsfun
What a lovely day out and weren’t we lucky that we had sunshine on mothers day, We went to the seaside for the day. Lily also spent some time digging in the sand 🙂 She loved it. She would of loved the diggers that your son loved im sure. #countrykids
What a great playground – I’m surprised that’s not more popular although perhaps everyone was doing different mother’s day things. Mine featured a park too, although just our local one, after being taken out for lunch. #countrykids
I love Stratford but haven’t been for years. I used to cycle there in my teens from home in Buckinghamshire. It was such a lovely town to enjoy and I should imagine it is beautiful at this time of year. That play area looks amazing, I’d love to have some sand diggers like these, I’m looking at putting a big sand pit in at Coombe Mill and these are just what I want.
It made me smile that N spend the rest of the day with you, he is such a sweetheart. What a lovely sounding Mother’s Day.
Thank you for sharing with me on #CountryKids
It looks like a lovely park. Mine still love the park and request to go often, I love it that blossom and magnolia is out now and an icecream is always a welcome addition. Sarah #CountryKids